Fed up
by White.Black.Truth.Lies
Summary: Tom loses it when his parents start screaming at each other again. He runs away after yelling at them, shocked with himself, and ends up at his best friends house, who helps him get through it.
1. I've had enough

**AN: HI!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the series!**

_**Chapter one**_

_**Yell**_

Their fighting was burrowing into my head like an earwig that wanted to build its nest in my brain. No matter what I did, leave the house, put on my music full blast, beg them to stop… their voices continued to echo around my mind. Ringing in my ears like a shrill scream.

Why wouldn't they stop? Why couldn't they just leave me in peace? Just… stop?

I get to my feet furiously, ripping my earphones out of my ears, the loud music stopped, the lyrics to an angry song still faint in the background.

I stalked out my room, slamming the door behind me. There was a hush from downstairs. They had heard me. Then the fighting continued. I heard the smash of china and a livid yell just as I jumped the last three stairs and rounded the corner to the kitchen.

"Shut up!" I had never yelled at my parents. Now I was screaming. "Just shut the hell up!" I shrieked. "Try acting like adults and talk about what's wrong, or I swear to god I will leave and I'll never come back."

They stared at me, shocked. I wasn't known for my yelling matches. I was the quiet one. Jerry was the angry one, the one that had stressed them out so much with his rebellious ways. They had always been able to count on me keeping to myself and staying out of their way as they threw everything they could reach at each other and exchanged vicious words.

Once I'd stopped yelling I just stood, awkwardly blushing at my outburst. Yet, I couldn't find it in my heart to be too embarrassed, I knew I was right, I knew it, but, as I watched the mottled purple and red color leach from my dad's face and my mum's open mouthed astonishment, I turned, I didn't want to be around them anymore.

I didn't stop for anything, not even putting on my shoes, I ran out the house, slamming the front door and sprinting down the street, my bare feet slapping against the ice cold asphalt as I struggled to see in the dark.

It was a moonless night, and a thick layer of angry cloud hid any stars that might have hung in the ink black sky.

It was the beginning of winter, I could already feel my toes freezing and the rough surface of the road stung my gradually numbing feet. My breath was no more then fog in front of me and my eyes watered as the frigid air assaulted them. I was glad I had the protection of my jacket, however thin the material was.

The streets were shadowed, in a way that, if I hadn't been so upset, I may have felt creeped out about.

A fine dusting of rain adorned my clothes and clung to my hair as the drizzle continued to fall.

A sharp sting cut through one of my feet and I stumbled, almost falling I cried out; but I caught myself and kept going, hobbling along, slowing down maybe a fraction.

My heart hurt almost as much as my head. What had I been thinking? Oh yeah, I hadn't been.

I could feel my breath catching in my throat and the knot in my stomach rise. Tears threatened and I cursed myself for always being so emotional. Why couldn't I be like Alex? Alex, who never seemed to be fazed by anything. Alex, who never got upset over books, or movies, or yelling.

Three minutes into my mental rant, I stopped myself, feeling guilty.

Alex felt things, he wasn't emotionless. Hell, you just had to glance at him to see hurt, pain, anger, pity, anxiousness, resignation and happiness. No, whom was I kidding? Alex was an emotional train wreck; he just had a better mask in place.

One good thing occurred from my pointless rant though.

It distracted me from the reason I was running long enough for me to calm down somewhat.

I stopped running, walking now; I huffed tiredly, catching my breath.

Embarrassment flared and I knew I couldn't face my parents. Not after my display of… personal opinion.

But I was freezing. I could practically feel my lips turning blue. I needed a place to stay.

My mind immediately presented me with a list of friends and relatives that would be willing to put me up for a night or two.

I immediately ruled off pretty much all of the names that had anything to do with my family.

Mum and dad would find a way to get me to come home and I couldn't, wouldn't, go back until I had calmed down and thought through the consequences of my actions.

Matt and Daniel were away for the weekend; Ryan was busy with his own pathetic excuse for a father. Penny was a girl and although she wouldn't mind her parents would.

That left Alex.

It would take me ten minutes to get to my friends house from where I was. Inconveniently I had run in the opposite direction to his place.

I'd left my cell in my rush to flee my house and I had no money for a pay phone. I would just have to show up on his doorstep and one; hope he was back from his latest mission and two; hope I was allowed to stay.

With a sigh, I turned around.

The street where I would find Alex's house was as silent as all the ones before it.

A single street light flickered green halfway down the road, and I could see the tiny forms of the moths and other insects that had been drawn to the light, flutter around the glow, sometimes bumping against the light globe.

The chill night air had, by now, seeped right through me, not one part of my poor body was left unmarred by goose bumps as I shuddered sporadically. My teeth clattered together and I hugged myself for warmth I knew I would not receive.

If my feet had let me I would have sprinted down to Alex's house, but they were numb and felt very much like they were on fire.

I cursed under my breath. Oh god I hope he's home. Would Jack let me stay even if he wasn't? She had always been cool, treating us to ice-cream an lollies whenever I gone over to play.

I stumbled up the concrete path that led the way to Alex's front door.

The simple dark blue paint was peeling off the wood and the silver colored doorknob was muddy. Maybe Alex was back, I mused.

I hesitated for about five seconds before taking a deep breath and knocking twice, sharply and abruptly.

I couldn't remember what the time was and I hoped I hadn't woken anyone up.

A moment later the door opened slowly and Alex appeared. He grinned when he recognised me and I couldn't help grinning right back at him.

Then his frown slipped right of his face and he frowned.

"Tom what the hell!?" He pulled me inside by my sleeve and scowled.

"Idiot! What are you doing?" He pulled me into the living room, placing me in front of the lit fireplace and froze.

I followed his gaze down to my feet. This time he swore in Spanish, well, I think he swore, I don't actual know Spanish.

"Where the hell are your shoes?" He hissed, voice low.

"Probably in my room." I answered him, voice shaking with cold.

"And why, pray tell, are they not on your feet?"

"I had a fight with mum and dad. It was bad and I left without thinking." My reply ended in a whisper.

Alex's expression softened slightly. "Wait here." He ordered, then he left the room.

I turned around and sat down, sinking my fingers into the carpet as I lifted my feet to the flames, sighing as the warmth enveloped them, wincing as feeling slowly creeped back into them.

Alex was back shortly with a large hot water bottle, a doona and Jack.

Jack hurried to my side and hugged me tightly.

"Oh sweetie! Did you walk here? Oh gosh! Alex get the first aid kit."

She released me, just to catch my ankle and bring my foot closer to her.

"You've cut your foot…" That explained the sting I had felt. I had forgotten about it after all feeling had left my body.

Alex came back with a yellow case that Jack opened to show an extensive array of medical supplies.

Picking out what she needed I managed to glimpse the actual injury and rolled my eyes.

"It's nothing more then a scratch Jack."

"It's a scratch that has been left open and been dragged across the neighbourhood with no covering."

I sighed. "Right." Closing my eyes, I revelled in the warmth on my back. Listening to the low murmur of Alex's voice as he explained what little he knew about the situation. It wasn't long before exhaustion pounced and wrapped me in its loving embrace.

**AN: so… what did you think? I know it was short but I just wanted people to see if they liked it. I don't think it's going to be a long fic though.**

**Review so I know if it was good! Please?**

**Lies. **


	2. Old Alex

**Chapter two**

**Old Alex **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I wish I did, unfortunately there are perhaps, oh, I don't know… **_**THOUSANDS**_** of other fans that lined up in the que to own Alex Rider before me so... I doubt it will happen in my life time.**

I woke up to the smell of bacon and a sore back. I winced; maybe I shouldn't have let myself fall asleep on the floor.

I rolled to my feet, stretching painfully and groaning self-pityingly. A blanket lay at my feet, and I smiled at the thoughtfulness of the person who had thought to lay it over me.

My footy ached slightly and looking down I noticed a clean white bandage was wrapped around the arch. Then the memories crashed through me.

What had I done!

I stood on the spot for a long moment. Letting my thoughts sink through my mind, god, I can't believe I blew up like that.

I sighed and dismissed the memories from my mind. I might as well forget I until later, when Alex finally interrogated me about what happened.

I sniffed at the air, horror descending for a moment as I thought of Jack in the kitchen, but when it became clear that the air was free of any burning odours, I breathed a sigh of relief. Alex was cooking.

I stumbled my way into the kitchen, wondering faintly what the time was; the smell of bacon suggested morning but the fact that I could here Jack's voice suggested it had to be past eleven.

I turned a corner at the end of the hall and came to an abrupt stop.

The first word that come to mind; was _strange…_

Alex stood, standing near the stove, on top of which a pan of eggs and bacon sizzled quietly. He was holding a spatula in one hand and a bottle of tomato sauce in the other, Jack cowered behind a stack of plates, giggling to herself as she avoided his playful attempts at squirting her with the sauce and hitting her over the head with the cooking utensil.

I could feel my mouth gaping open as I noticed Alex's bare chest, his scar stained skin exposed for the world to see. He was laughing in a familiar, carefree manner that I had not witnessed for a year or more.

It was such a _shock. _Alex wasn't like this any more, he took extra precautions when making sure no one saw his skin. When he did turn up to school, he would have a note explaining why he couldn't participate in sport, or he would plan the time he changed to coincide with the limited minutes between the end of class and the start, making sure no one was near. He was closed off; hugging himself tightly in the brief moment's people would take interest in him; on guard and suspicious the rest of the time. He didn't laugh, he could hardly smile without hurting himself.

And here he was; laughing and joyful and _Alex_ again. The _old_ Alex, the _right_ Alex.

I leaned against the doorframe, not wanting to interrupt the happy scene, not wanting to break the moment of normalcy off.

Alex succeeded in hitting Jack in the head with the spatula and she ran away from him, scowling in mock annoyance and pain.

I chuckled low in my throat and Jack stopped laughing. Alex turned around from the stove, expression blank for a moment before he grinned.

"Morning sleepyhead, hungry?" he turned back to hit Jack over the head again, laughing as he waited for my answer.

I could practically hear Jack's mental victory dance.

"Starving." I smirked, throwing myself down into one of the seats at the kitchen table.

Alex spent the day watching me watching him as I waited for him to ask about what exactly had happened last night.

I didn't yet feel like explaining myself so I waited patiently for his own curiosity to get the better of him.

Surprisingly enough he had enough restraint to wait an entire eleven hours.

It was as he was getting the pile of blankets and pillows I would use that night that he finally sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" his voice was soft, and he stared at me with concerned eyes.

"I just-just- I don't know, they were yelling again, screaming at each other and throwing things, nothing I did made them shut up. So I-I- kinda lost it." I sighed. "I screamed at them to stop, threatened them with my leaving forever and then ran away."

I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt. "I was so embarrassed, I've never yelled at them before, and the looks on their faces." I shuddered.

Alex reached over and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Obviously, I can't tell you I know how you feel, that would just be stupid. But I can offer you a place to stay for a couple of days." He smiled and then paused. "But you need to call your parents and explain, I can't have cops turning up to my very respectable home." His face wore a very arrogant expression as he set his conditions.

I scowled and hit him in the back of the head.

"Idiot. Thanks." I sighed in relief.

"No problem, what are friends for?" Alex raised and eyebrow and smirked. "Especially a friend as awesome as me?"

What followed was twenty minutes of hitting Alex over the head with my pillow.

I was so relieved that Alex hadn't made a big deal of everything, I mean, I knew he wasn't going to send me home, I knew that he'd let me stay; but he could have just kept interrogating me. I'm not looking forward to calling my mum and dad though.

**AN: Boring fluff. This was a pointless chapter that was very, very short, but it felt like here was the perfect place to cut it off.**

**Next chapter: Tom calls his parents… **

**Til then, reviews make me happy, Lies.**


	3. Calling the parents

**Chapter three**

**Calling the parents**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for myself, I don't own Alex Rider. Maybe one day…**

**AN: I hope people read this because I want to thank everyone who reads my fics and especially those that review, I love your comments and apart from making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside I think they have help my writing by more than a thousand percent.**

**So, thankyou and I hope you like this chapter. Lies**

Alex left the room so I could have some privacy as I called my parents.

As I pulled out my mobile I tried to imagine what their reactions would be. I guessed there could be about three possibilities; they could be angry, something I was not looking forward to at all. On the other hand, they could be apologetic, or indifferent, acting like nothing had happened. I wasn't sure which was the worse option.

I pressed in the number for our home phone, a knot of apprehension wiggling deep in my stomach. I swallowed loudly as the ring tone sounded and cleared my throat. Then my dad answered.

"Hello?"

I took a slow breath and answered back.

"Hi dad."

"Tom! Where the hell have you been?" He ordered, in the back round I could hear mums voice, worried and relieved. Suddenly I felt bad. Dad's voice faded a little and I heard him quite pointlessly point out that it was me on the phone.

"I'm at Alexs', dad; I'm going to stay here for another night. I want to calm down before I come home."

"You don't know how worried we've been, never, ever, ever do that again. Or, or, well, you won't like the consequences." He finished with a sigh. "Did you stay at Alexs' last night? Do they mind having you? Why don't you just come home and we can talk?"

I sigh again. "No, dad, I told you; I want to calm down, if I talk to you now I think I'm going to just end up yelling again, I don't want that, it'll get us no where. So, we can talk when I come home, okay?"

I could hear mum protesting in the back round, and dad reassuring her. "Alright, I just called to tell you where I am. Bye dad."

"Wait! To…"

I hung up, cutting off any more objections.

That had gone… well. At least he hadn't yelled, screamed, and demanded I go home. And now I could focus on forgetting about the stupid thing I had done that got me into this situation in the first place.

I pocketed my mobile and left Alex's room, making my way down the stairs slowly.

I could hear Alex talking to Jack in the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. They were making dinner, well, Alex was making dinner, Jack was attempting to help only to be pushed away by Alex as she promptly did the opposite of what she was supposed to.

"Of course I don't mind if he stays, as long as his parents agree he can stay as long as he wants." Jack was saying, while trying to be sly and sneaking to grab the wooden spoon from its perch on the bench so she could stir the deliciously fragrant beef and vegetable stew that was currently simmering on the stove. Alex slapped her hand away absently, even as his head was stuck in a cupboard. Finally, after some rummaging, he emerged with a triumphant, "Ah ha!" and a bottle of pepper.

Jack had retreated to one of the chairs and was sitting down, chin in her hands as she stared at the clock that was mounted on the wall.

"How much longer Al?" she pouted, looking just like she was the little kid and Alex was meant to be looking after her.

"Not much longer Jack," he sighed, "Tom, are you going to sit down at all or are you just going to hover in the doorway for the rest of your life?" he asked suddenly.

I blush, feeling stupid about the fact that I hadn't realised that Alex would have noticed me as soon as I arrived. I sit down next to Jack, muttering quietly to myself. "Stupid, annoying, teenage spy, with eyes in the back of his head."

Jack laughs, amused, as Alex glares at me. Knowing full well that he heard me, I smile innocently, which just makes Jack laugh harder. Alex merely sighs and goes back to stirring dinner. "Watch it you two or no one gets any dinner." He threatens. I look at Jack just as she looks at me and we share an entertained look before simultaneously getting to our feet and advancing. Alex started to shuffle on the spot, and just as we moved to attack him… he darted out of the way.

"Damn!" Jack curses as Alex starts chuckling from behind us.

"You have to try harder if you want to catch me." Alex teased.

We turned back around to face him and glowered at him.

"Dinner will be ready in five minutes, do you both think you can behave until then?" Alex questioned. Jack huffed and stalked off. Not able to stop herself from glancing back with a cheeky smirk.

I moved to sit down while Alex went back to his position at the stove.

"You called your parents?" Alex's voice was soft.

"Yeah, dad answered. They said it is alright for me to stay." There was a pause, filled with a comfortable silence. "You don't mind, do you?"

I could basically hear Alex rolling his eyes. "Course not. You're my best mate Tom; I'm not going to leave you in the lurch. Plus, you would do the same for me"

I snort, "Yeah, when Jack meets a guy and they divorce you can come stay with me."

"How long do you think you're going to stay?" Alex asks.

"Probably just the night, I don't want to leave it to long, I might chicken out."

"Alright."

"Hey, Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No problem mate."

There was another silence, the sounds of Alex stirring dinner clashing with the, tick, tick, tick, of the clock.

"Hey, al?"

"Yeah?"

"Dinner ready yet?"

There was the sound of a vicious snarl and the clatter of a wooden spoon. Jack came running as a shriek was heard.

**AN: How did I do? I know it was short, but I felt that this was the best place to end it. I would love to hear what you thought so reviews would be kind. Thanks for reading. Lies.**


	4. I'm not scared

**AN: Another update! Woooh!!**

**Disclaimer: Not in a million years...**

**Sleep over**

I tried my best to look fierce as I made my way down the stairs ten minutes later, my hair dripping and my face red. I breathed in and instantly all I could smell was apples. Stupid Alex, stupid tomato sauce, stupid, stupid, argh, stupid everything!

I jumped the last few steps and walked into the kitchen, plonking myself down in a seat and continuing to glare... at the table. I could hear Jack laughing from the living room, and Alex was chuckling from his seat across from me. My glare intensified. A bowl of steaming vegetable and beef soup slid into my range of vision and my stomach growled, Alex's laughter grew in volume and I flushed again, looking up.

Alex smirked down at me. I cursed him under my breath so Jack wouldn't hear and pulled the bowl closer, grabbing the spoon offered to me and digging in to the annoyingly yummy looking food.

Half way through shovelling it down I looked back up. "I hate you." I glared. This just caused Alex to laugh more so I shut up and went back to eating.

When I was done I rinsed my bowl and put it in the sink, feeling fuller and nicer as I stopped glaring and walked back over to Alex.

He smiled sweetly, "I'm sorry I ruined your hair Tom." Well, it was some sort of an apology.

"It's fine," I grunted, "just, don't do it again."

This time we both cracked up, I cuffed Alex over the back of the head though, just for good measure. He hit me back and an all out war began. However the war was awfully close to the tomato sauce so I decided to give in (it had nothing to do with the fact I knew I would lose) and we left the kitchen to go and annoy Jack instead.

Annoying Jack never works though, and I am surprised we even continue to try. So, after being pelted in the head several times by mini-marshmallows and threatened with a hair dryer we decided to settle down and put on a movie, ignoring Jack's protests at her show being turned off.

It felt good to forget about everything and just be normal, go back to how it used to be, before MI6 and fighting parents, before becoming distant as everything got so much more complicated. I only wish it could be like this all the time, that I didn't know that I'd have to go home and waiting for me would be my screaming parents, that no matter what Alex's phone would ring and he'd disappear again. Life is so unfair sometimes.

The movie started and Jack retreated to her room after placing an extra large bowl of popcorn between us on the couch. And I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. Content.

*

We fell asleep before the movie finished and I woke up to find Alex's foot in my face and a piece of popcorn stuck to my cheek. I shook Alex awake, knowing from experience he'd be annoyed if I left him where he was and very reluctantly, we moved from our positions, glued to the couch. Alex, normally so coordinated it's scary, tripped over the empty bowl of popcorn and scowled at it before I shoved him and he started moving again. I swayed slightly on the spot and glanced down at my watch, urgh, it was three in the morning! No wonder we were all hazy.

We trooped our way up the stairs and into our respective sleeping spots, me on the floor and Alex in his bed, before Alex shut off the lamp and we allowed ourselves to drift back into dreamland.

My dreams were full of random images, thoughts that, if I had been awake to fully comprehend them, may have creeped me out.

*dream*

_Fog curled and licked at my body as I walked down the empty street, the moon was not visible in the cloudy sky and the stars had abandoned the inky blackness. My breath was a fine mist in front of me as I wandered, my feet once again bare and burning as I made my way down, what I recognised to be, the street Alex's house could be located. _

_My eyes were stinging in the coldness and my skin rose in goosebumps, something caught my attention, hovering on the other side of the street, a stall? I made my way over cautiously._

_It was wooden, and simple, the kind of stall you would find at a school fair. There were several small things resting on the top of the bench and I stared down at them curiously._

_One stood out in particular and I reached down and picked it up, it was a letter, and my name was on it. A feeling started to fill my stomach and it washed through me like an oil slicked wave._

_With shaky fingers I tore open the creamy white envelope and unfolded the small sheet of paper. _

_Tom,_

_I know we are both feeling a loss right now that is unlike any other, you more than any one must now how I feel, Alex was, like a little brother to me and the way he was murdered it's..._

_I gasp, looking up from the letter as something wet drips onto my face; I lift my hand and swipe at my cheek, looking at my fingers carelessly as I drop my arm. _

_Red, I look up, but there is nothing there, I spin in a half circle and my breath hitches. No!_

_Alex stares at me, his face white and his mouth open as he stares sadly at me, a small, precise hole positioned perfectly in the centre of his forehead._

_I can feel the sharp edges of crinkled paper as I crush the letter in my fist and stumble back, behind Alex another figure approaches and I moan; Jerry's eyes are glassy, his familiar face tinged blue and swollen. My back hits the stall and a bell tinkles softly in my ears. They take a step forward and I close my eyes..._

I sit up with a gasp. Scrambling out of my blankets and wiping my sweaty hands on my pants as I look over and study Alex's face, checking for paleness, for a hole.

I sigh in relief as I notice the rise and fall of his chest. The flickering of his eyes as he dreams. I look across at the alarm clock, the numbers glowing dully in the dark. 4am. I know it's stupid, I know it, but... I reach out and grab Alex's cell from its spot on his dresser. Dialling the number I listen to the dial tone silently.

"Hello?"

The worried frown slipped off my face at Jerry's deep voice and I grin shakily.

"Jerry." I whisper.

"Tom? What are...? Are you okay? Has something happened? Do you need me to come home?"

"No, no, nothing like that I, I just, needed to hear your voice."

I can hear Jerry sigh and the blush rises fast as I realise I have no real excuse for this call, nothing. "I just, miss you."

"I miss you too bro, but did you have to wake me up so early to tell me that? The phone isn't running anywhere it will still be there in four hours at a _normal_ time."

"I know, I just..."

There must have been something in my voice because suspicion suddenly laced Jerry's voice.

"You had that dream again didn't you?" I didn't say anything and this time his sigh said something different. "Tom, why didn't you just say so?"

"I feel like an idiot." I mutter.

"It's not stupid to get frightened by a dream."

"I wasn't frightened!" I snap, ignoring the fact that the lie was plain as day.

"Okay Tom, do you want to talk about it?"

"No." I knew I was being short, and getting angry wouldn't fix anything but...

"Alright, well, I'm always here if you need me okay? Just a phone call away."

"Right, sorry I called so early. Bye Jerry."

"It's fine Tom, goodnight, maybe I'll come down in a couple of days."

"Yeah, but, mum and dad are really, I'm not there at the moment, I'm sleeping over at Alex's." I admit, not really knowing why as I should be back home tomorrow, long before Jerry would get here even if he was coming.

"What happened?"

"I yelled at them, and then ran away."

Unsurprisingly I heard Jerry laugh in amusement, "I always knew you were an angry little teenager."

"Shut up," I growl, "Night Jer."

I hang up, Jerry's chuckles following me as I put Alex's phone back on the dresser and lie down. Not admitting that the reason I kept my eyes firmly open was because I feared sleep. Feared that nightmare.

I wasn't scared.

**AN: Woah, okay... this was not where I planned this to go... but then again I didn't plan this fic at all so... yeah... this is the result of writing at four in the morning while listening to Green Day and blink 182...**

**Yeah, hope you enjoyed!!**

**From, Lies.**


	5. Lighter

**Fed Up**

**Lighter**

I sat on the backyard porch. It was five-thirty in the morning and the sun was rising. The sky was fading slowly into a paler blue and my surroundings were morphing into lighter versions of themselves. Everyone was still asleep; except for me. I had given up on sleep after – after my nightmare and had gradually migrated down here.

The world was so peaceful in the morning. There was none of the hubbub that characterized the rest of the day; the orderly chaos that was everyone's lives. This was my favorite part of the day. At this time it always felt like everything was better, nicer. My nightmares didn't seem so savage and the world seemed cleaner.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

"You're up early."

I jumped and twisted around. Alex was standing behind me, blonde hair still messy from sleep, pj's rumpled. But his eyes were clean and serious, staring steadily into my face. I turned back around and closed my eyes again.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't ask what was wrong, or why. He didn't need to. With those words I knew he had heard my both my nightmare and my conversation with Jerry.

"No." I answer. "I- I spoke to Jerry. It's okay."

There was movement beside me and I glanced to the side just as Alex sat down.

"Okay."

That's what I love, and hate, about Alex. He doesn't push you into explaining yourself or talking about your problems. He accepts your answers and changes the topic. But sometimes I needed to be forced into giving answers. Sometimes it wasn't so easy to just _talk_ about something. Even if I really wanted to.

I turned around again and stared down at my bare feet. It was getting cold. I should have put on socks before I came out here. Alex moved again as I contemplated my feet and a rolled up pair of thick black socks landed on my lap. I laughed.

"You are scary sometimes Alex, how did you know I'd be needing socks?"

Alex grinned. "I know all, Tom. You should know that by now." He joked.

I pulled on the socks and sighed at the warmth.

We were silent for a little while, just watching the sun lighten the sky.

"It's not the first time I've had that nightmare." I spoke suddenly.

Alex tensed for a minute before relaxing. There was no other response. He was waiting.

"The first time was when mum and dad had there first fight." I paused. "While I was around, at least." I added. "It was horrible. I woke up and crawled straight into Jerry's bed. Nothing he said would make me movie. Then he went away and suddenly I was seeing him die over and over again in my head. I started getting scared to sleep, to close my eyes. A year later and they were becoming less frequent; every few days instead of every day. Three years later and they barely happened at all." I sighed, closing my eyes.

"And then I found out about you. About what you do and how dangerous it is. And they came back. Night after night my mind would think of new ways to kill you and Jerry or make my parents leave me and torture me with those images until I woke up. Every time you disappear they come back and there's nothing I can do to make them go away." I finished speaking and turned away, feeling both more miserable and happier than I had been in quite a while. Alex was silent.

"Do your parents know?"

I shake my head, "Only you, and Jerry."

"Maybe you should tell them." Alex spoke tentatively. "Talk to them. It seems like the dreams are connected to stress and your fear that something will happen to the people you love and care about; your fear that your parents will split up and leave you." Alex turned his head so he was looking at me. "Maybe if you talk about it you can work through your fears."

I blinked as Alex's soft voice stopped. "Well, they are pretty stressful. Stress nightmares…" I muse.

"My psychologist likes to talk about it. You know, you learn a lot in those meetings if you refuse to talk. The psychologist tends to get uncomfortable with the silence and just starts rambling. Beats taking Psychology at school." Alex joked.

I shake my head and grin, kicking my feet. Alex stands up and stretches.

"I think it is definitely time for breakfast!" he announces, just as his stomach growls loudly. He turns around and heads for the door, turning his head back. "Are you coming, Tom?"

I stare down at my swinging feet for a moment longer before sighing.

"Yep. Do you have pancake mix?"

**THE END! Review? Please? I feel lonely…**


	6. Home

**Fed Up**

**Home**

"Tom, if you don't do it now you never will."

I looked down at Alex from my position at the top of the stairs that led to the front door of my house.

"That's not such a bad thing, though. I mean it's not like it would hurt anyone. Jack would let me stay and you can be easily bribed with choc peppermint cookies." I hum. "Cookies sound like a good idea. With milk. Let's go, Jack was going to make some today wasn't she?"

Alex sighed, pushing Tom back up the stairs as he made to walk away.

"Knock, no, walk in, it's your house. Talk to your parents and get this sorted out."

I shake my head. "They're going to be angry, I'll get in trouble. I don't _like _getting in trouble, Alex, no matter what people say."

"Nobody likes getting in trouble Tom. But if you don't go in now and resolve this, you'll be in more trouble when you do go."

"Those Psych sessions are really rubbing off on you aren't they?"

Alex opened his mouth and closed it again. "Maybe." He allowed. "Just a little bit."

I shake my head. "Yeah…" I look up at the front door and sigh. "Alright, I'm going in."

"Good. Call me when you can and tell me how it went." Alex turned around and started walking away. "I'm off to steal some cookies from Jack."

"I knew it! You just wanted all the cookies for yourself! Traitor!" I call out. Alex just laughs and keeps walking.

"Good luck, Tom!"

I shake my head. "I'll need it." I murmur before opening the door and walking into the house.

Mum was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking tea and working on a crossword.

I stop in the doorway. "Mum."

She turns in her seat and her face lights up. "Tom!" She exclaims.

"Hi, mum."

She gets up from her seat and rushes over to me, enveloping me in her arms.

"Tom." She whispers.

"I'm sorry, mum. I just can't stand seeing you and dad fight like that. I didn't mean to blow up at you."

She pulled away. "Let me get your father, and then we will talk." She walked past me and into the hall. "I'm glad you're back, sweetheart." Then she disappeared down the hall.

An hour and a half later I threw myself on my bed with a loud sigh. The talk had gone… well it had gone. I couldn't decide whether or not it had been good or bad. I close my eyes and roll over onto my stomach, clutching my pillow tight. Well, at least we had finally talked about it. Maybe Alex had been right and my nightmares would go away. Hopefully.

I open my eyes and reach for my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I find Alex's number.

_Thanks Alex_

I curl up on my side and close my eyes again. Maybe things would finally change around here.

A moment later my phone beeped.

_What are friends for?_

**FINISHED! Hahah The End! Sooo what did everyone think? REVIEW AND TELL ME!**


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